Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, said: "There have been reports of Mehsud's death for two weeks now.

"Then, an audiotape came out in which he denied he had been killed. Then there were reports that he was wounded.

"Today, state TV reported that he had been killed. Since then, the report has gone off air.

Imtiaz Gul, a Pakistani security analyst, told Al Jazeera: "Based on the information that we have been getting since January 14, when the drone struck, we can say that the confirmation of Mehsud's death was just a matter a time."

Baitullah Mehsud, the former leader of the Pakistani Taliban, died last August but it took the Taliban a number of weeks to admit that he had been hit in the missile strike which killed him.

Hakimullah issued an audiotape saying he was well. But he gave no indication when the message was recorded.

The Taliban released another tape on January 17, hoping no doubt to quell the rumours.

In the tape, Mehsud said: "Today is the 16th of January. I want to confirm to all my mujahidin brothers that I am Hakimullah and I am alive and in good health thanks be to God and that I was not injured in the rocket attack."